Does this quote seem reasonable?

[HankMcSpank]

Have you tried googling for 'steel dowel pins'?

Actually I hadn't and initial results are good! (& as ever, having the right phrase works wonders)...

I do recall a while ago searching for shelf support dowels - but it's tricky to find them just plain (most have a middle piece to set the depth).

Stainless is a no no (not that great magnetic properties) & a lot of links are coming up with that...but worth pursuing this new line of thought!

Just found this link...

http://www.rkengineeringco.com/Cylin...wel)%20Pin.htm ...with this extract....

"Our range of manufacturing is 2 mm to 25 mm in diameter and 5 mm to 150 mm in length" - so close (my shortest needs to be 4mm length), but hey it's a start.



What a great site this is.

Edit: Actually, Robin your post prompted me to visit an old line of enquiry...something like this might get me up and running relatively cheaply (ie I only need low run until I've established if there's even a demand)...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/40-Nickel-Plat...item4834716869

if I cut them to length, then that works out at 10p each (I'm not worried about one end being unplated - that'll be in the bowels of the device itself!).

I have an ER32 collet chuck for my mini lathe, which ought to make this a little bit quicker.

Has anyone any tips on a way of parting off 5mm steel rod? (I've had bad experiences parting off to date!). Is there a better dedicated tool I could use for repeatablility (my present parting off tool has somthing like a 1.5mm blade - is a thinner one available?)